94

THE TEMPLE OF FAME,

And wild impatience flar’d in ev’ry face.

The flying humours gather’d as they roll’d,

Scarce any tale was fooner heard than told:

And all who told it added fomething new, 470And all who heat'd it, made enlargements too,

In ev’ry ear it fpread, on ev’ry tongue it grew.Thus flying eaft and weft, and north and fouth,News travell’d with increafe from mouth to mouth.So from a fpark, that kindled firft by chance, 475With gath’ring force thequick’ningflames advance;Till to the clouds their curling heads afpire,And tow’rs and temples fink in floods of fire.

When thus ripe lies are to perfection fprung,Full grown, and fit to grace a mortal tongue, 480Through thoufand vents, impatient, forth they flow,And rufli in millions on the world below.

Fame lits aloft, and points them out their courfe,Their date determines, and prefcribes their force:Some to remain,, and fome to perifii foon ; 485Or wane and wax alternate like the moon.

IMITATIONS.

41 A new tyding privily,

44 Or elfe he told it openly

44 Right thus, andfaid, Keowft not thou

44 That is betide to night now?

44 No, quoth be, tell me what?

41 And then he told him this and that, etc.

4 4 --Thus north and fouth

44 Went "every tiding fro mouth to mouth,

41 And that cncreafiug evermo,

44 "As fire is wont to quicken and go44 From a fpatklc fproog amifs,

44 Till all the citee brent up is,’*